Kan-sha

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The Kan-sha system, which referred to official government shrines, had two subcategories - Kanpei-sha, also known as government shrines, and Kokuhei-sha, which were national shrines.".[1]

Kanpei-sha

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In 1871, the Japanese government created the Kanpei-sha system to group Shinto shrines according to their relationship with the imperial family. The topmost category comprised of shrines that honored imperial family members, emperors, or those who served the imperial family well. These shrines were viewed as the ones most connected to the imperial family and were backed by the government...[2]

Imperial shrines, 1st rank

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The Kanpei-taisha were the most highly ranked shrines in Japan that were officially designated by the government. There were 67 shrines that held this status, which were closely associated with the imperial family. These shrines were considered to be of great historical and cultural significance, and were often visited by members of the imperial family as well as the general public.[3]

name
Matsunoo Taisha [simple; en][3]
Hirano Shrine [simple; en][3]
Tatsuta Shrine [simple; en][3]
Isonokami Shrine [simple; en][4]
Hirose Shrine [simple; en][3]
Sumiyoshi-taisha [en][5]
Hiyoshi Taisha [simple; en][3]
Hirota Shrine [simple; en][5]
Niukawakami Shrine [simple; en][3]
Hikawa Shrine (Saitama) [simple; en][6]
Katori Shrine [simple; en][7]
Kashii-gū [en; simple][5]
Kashihara Shrine [simple; en][5]
Heian Shrine [simple; en][5]
Omi Shrine [simple; en][8]
Hiraoka Shrine [simple; en][3]
Ōtori taisha [simple; en][5]
Awa Shrine [simple; en][5]
Mishima Taisha [simple; en][5]
Izanagi Shrine [simple; en][5]
Miyazaki-jingū [en; simple][5]
Kehi Shrine [simple; en][5]
Kagoshima Shrine [simple; en][5]
Udo-jingū [en; simple][5]
Fujisan Hongū Sengen Taisha [simple; en][5]
Takebe taisha [simple; en][5]
Hokkaidō Shrine [simple; en][9]
Yoshino Shrine [simple; en][10]

Imperial shrines, 2nd rank

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The middle-level Imperial shrines were called Kanpei-chūsha (官幣中社) and there were 23 of them. They were not as important as the highest-ranked shrines and didn't get as much money from the government...[5]

name
Ōharano Shrine [simple; en].[8]
Umenomiya Shrine [simple; en].[8]
Kifune Shrine [simple; en].[8]
Shiramine Shrine [simple; en][11]
Akama Shrine [simple; en][8]
Minase Shrine [simple; en][11]
Kamakura-gū [en][8]
Iinoya-gū [en][8]
Yatsushiro-gū [simple; en][8]
Hikosan Jingū [en; simple]
Kanegasaki-gū [en][12]
Dazaifu Tenmangū [en].[12]
Nagata Shrine [simple; en].[12]
Hikosan Jingū [en].[12]
Sumiyoshi-jinja [simple; en][12]
Kibitsu Shrine [simple; en][12]
Kumano Nachi Taisha [simple; en][12]
Itakiso Jinja [simple; en][12]
Mikami Shrine [simple; en][12]

Imperial shrines, 3rd rank

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There were five shrines that had the lowest rank among the Imperial shrines, and they were known as Kanpei-shōsha (官幣小社).[12]

name
Ōkunitama Shrine [simple; en].[12]
Naminoue Shrine [simple; en].[12]

Kokuhei-sha

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The Kokuhei-sha (国幣社) classified the government-supported shrines in a hierarchy, based on their national significance. The kokuheisha, on the other hand, were shrines that enshrined local kami considered beneficial to their respective areas.[2]

National shrines, 1st rank

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The six most highly ranked, nationally significant shrines or Kokuhei-taisha (国幣大社) were considered the top tier of the national shrines.

name
Nangū Taisha [simple; en]
Tado Shrine [simple; en]
Ōyamazumi Shrine [simple; en]

National shrines, 2nd rank

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The mid-range of ranked, nationally significant shrines or simple ([User:Immanuelle/Kokuhei Chūsha] Error: {{nihongo}}: text has italic markup (help), simple, User:Immanuelle/国幣中社) encompassed 47 sanctuaries.

name
Hakodate Hachiman Shrine [simple; en]
Ōmonoimi Shrine [en]
Tsutsukowake Shrine [simple; en]
Isasumi Shrine [simple; en]
Futarasan jinja [simple; en]
Utsunomiya Futarayama Jinja [simple; en]
Nukisaki Shrine [simple; en]
Tamasaki Shrine [simple; en]
Samukawa Shrine [simple; en]
Tsurugaoka Hachimangū [en]
Ichinomiya Asama Shrine (Fuefuki) [simple; en]
Yahiko Shrine [simple; en]
Imizu Jinja [simple; en]
Shirayamahime jinja [simple; en]
Wakasahiko Shrine [simple; en]
Masumida jinja [simple; en]
Aekuni Shrine [simple; en]
Izumo-daijingū [simple; en]
Kono Shrine [simple; en]
Izushi Shrine [simple; en]
Nakayama Shrine [simple; en]
Ube shrine [simple; en]
Miho Shrine [simple; en]
Tamanooya jinja [simple; en]
Tamura jinja [simple; en]
Ōasahiko Shrine [simple; en]
Tosa jinja [simple; en]
Sasamuta Shrine [en]
Suwa Shrine (Nagasaki) [simple; en]

National shrines, 3rd rank

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There are 50 nationally significant shrines that are classified as Kokuhei Shōsha, which are the lowest ranked shrines in the modern system of ranked Shinto shrines.

name
Iwakiyama Jinja [simple; en]
Koshiō Shrine [simple; en]
Chichibu Shrine [simple; en]
Hakone Shrine [simple; en]
Oguni Jinja [simple; en]
Shizuoka Sengen Shrine [simple; en]
Izusan Jinja [simple; en]
Togakushi Shrine [simple; en]
Takase Shrine [simple; en]
Minashi Shrine [simple; en]
Inaba Shrine [simple; en]
Toga Shrine [simple; en]
Tsushima Shrine [simple; en]
Owari Ōkunitama Shrine [simple; en]
Kibitsuhiko jinja [simple; en]
Kibitsu jinja (Bingo) [simple; en]
Ōgamiyama Shrine [simple; en]
Shitori Shrine (Tottori) [simple; en]
Mononobe jinja [simple; en]
Susa jinja [simple; en]
Sada Jinja [simple; en]
Fujisaki-hachimangu [simple; en]
Hirasaki Shrine [simple; en]
  1. Cite error: The named reference Fridell was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
  2. 2.0 2.1 Cite error: The named reference system was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 [[Richard Ponsonby-Fane|simple|User:Immanuelle/Ponsonby-Fane, Richard|en}}. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 124.
  4. Nara National Museum: No. 31, Map of the Precincts of Kanpei Taisha Isonokami Shrine Error in Webarchive template: Empty url.
  5. 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 125.
  6. Sawada, Janine Anderson. (2004). Practical pursuits: religion, politics, and personal cultivation in nineteenth-century Japan, p. 312 n15.
  7. Chiba prefectural government: Chiba, Katori Shrine[dead link]
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 126.
  9. Ponsonby-Fane, (1963). The Vicissitudes of Shinto, p. 328.
  10. NDL: Kanpei Taisha Yoshino Jingu
  11. 11.0 11.1 Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 126; n.b., raised to kanpei-taisha in 1940
  12. 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 Ponsonby-Fane. Imperial, p. 127.